Prevalence of uveitis: a retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Immunology
• Systemic Disease Manifestations

Background:

• Anterior uveitis constitutes over 75% of all uveitis cases encountered in optometric practice.
• Uveitis can be an early indicator of underlying systemic diseases, necessitating comprehensive evaluation.
• Effective treatment and prognosis depend on accurate diagnosis of both ocular and systemic conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively analyze cases of uveitis, retinitis, and chorioretinal scars.
• To determine the medical history, clinical findings, diagnostic tests, and specific diagnoses in a referral practice.
• To evaluate the utility of laboratory testing in uveitis management.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 194 patients diagnosed with uveitis, retinitis, or chorioretinal scar.
• Analysis of patient medical history, clinical presentations, and diagnostic investigations.
• Categorization of uveitis based on anatomical location (anterior vs. posterior) and etiology.

Main Results:

• Anterior uveitis comprised 87.6% of cases, with 54.7% having an undetermined etiology.
• Trauma was identified as a cause in 21.8% of anterior uveitis cases (19.1% of all uveitis).
• Other diagnoses included glaucomatocyclitic crisis, sarcoid disease, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ocular histoplasmosis, toxoplasmosis, and pars planitis.

Conclusions:

• Laboratory testing significantly aids in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of uveitis.
• The case mix in this study was comparable to other reports, despite fewer pars planitis cases.
• Accurate diagnosis is paramount due to variable treatment approaches and prognoses associated with different uveitis etiologies.